Transgenic mice expressing humanized VEGF

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to humanized VEGF and non-human transgenic animals expressing it. The transgenic animals are also useful to study VEGF-related therapies.

1. A transgenic mouse comprising in its genome a heterologous nucleic acid encoding the humanized VEGF protein (hum-X VEGF) set forth in SEQ ID NO:12 operably linked to a promoter, wherein said transgenic mouse comprises a homozygous disruption of its endogenous mouse VEGF gene, does not express the endogenous mouse VEGF protein, and expresses the hum-X VEGF set forth in SEQ ID NO:12. 
     
     
       2. The transgenic mouse of  claim 1 , wherein said transgenic mouse further comprises in its genome a homozygous disruption of the RAG2 gene, wherein said transgenic mouse does not express RAG2 and said transgenic mouse is immuno-compromized. 
     
     
       3. A cell or tissue obtained from the transgenic mouse of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       4. An isolated nucleic acid encoding hum-X VEGF as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 12.